According to reports from Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency on 31st August, the country’s Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) specialists Almaz-Antey is involved in developing a new high-altitude naval air defence system.

The company is reportedly involved in the design of a ship-based SAM capable of performing; “missile and space defence,” according to the report. The design work on this SAM system seems to be occurring alongside plans announced earlier this year by Roman Trotsenko, President of Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation, to begin the construction of six nuclear-powered air defence destroyers in 2016.

The missile system which Almaz-Antey is expected to develop for these ships may be closely modelled on the S-500 ‘Samorerzhets’ ground-based high-altitude SAM system which is being supplied to the Russian Air Force. S-500 deliveries to the Russian Air Force are expected to commence from 2013, as reported in the July edition of ChainHomeHigh.

The S-500’s range is thought to be in the region of 600km (323nm), with an interception altitude of 40km (21.5nm). The weapon has been designed to intercept Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, and this would seemingly enable it to meet the requirements of this proposed sea-based air defence system.